Euphorbia restricta

Euphorbia restricta is a small, succulent, branching stem plant. It resembles E. barnardii, another Euphorbia with an overlapping distribution in Limpopo. It appears like a smaller version of E. barnardii.

E. restricta grows in a small distribution on a few mountains among dolomite boulders at elevations of about 1500 m. The specific name restricta is said to be derived from the plants small distribution area. Montane mist-belt grassland is the typical habitat.

Endemic to the Limpopo Province, the plant is not threatened early in the twenty first century, although it is rare. Mountain tops are fortunately not the worst hit areas of human interference in natural vegetation; nowhere is safe though (www.redlist.sanbi.org; www.plantzafrica.com; www.highlandsucculents.com).